Radio Training

Irv Lee Contents

Pre-reading – keywords, basic airspace entities that a student pilot would know, etc

The Basics – callsigns, frequencies, confusions, etc– and how to pass the tests!

Circuits and Runways

Different levels of Qualification behind the voice in your ear, and how it impacts you

What can ‚they‘ do for me en-route? (VDF and ATSOCAS)

Airspace

Transponders

Departures at Airports inside Controlled Airspace

Navigation Calls – ‘pass your message’ replies and Position Reports

Emergencies
Preparation for a Pilot's Radio Licence
(The 'FRTOL') – or a refresher! Then…. Typical Test Simulation with Moving Map DEMO!
(FRTOL= Flight R/T Operator's Licence)
(R/T= Radio Telephony)

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FRTOL Exams: Written and Practical Special Pronunciations and Terms

“Communications” Written Exam
(PPL(A) and LAPL(A) pilots do this anyway as part of their flying licence course)
(12 questions, 4 multi choice answers each, 75% pass mark)
Study any/all books, + CAA material
Radio Safety Sense Leaflet No 22 and CAP413 – the official source
Imagine you are the question setter – some topics make easy questions
'Listen' and criticise if you have a radio at home – hobby pilot standards are terrible!
www . airquiz . com - practice papers, very cheap, practice until you are getting around
90% or better – BUT… with new e-exams, VERY unlikely to cover full syllabus at present.
For Clarity – helps with static or radio range problems
Use the official pronunciations for numbers and letters
Readability range 1 to 5. (5 Perfectly readable, 4 readable, 3 is 'with difficulty', 2 is 'now and
again', 1 is Unreadable
– So 5 is best, and 3 is the final one where every single word had been received.
To avoid confusions, most numbers must be split into single digits except in circumstances
like altitudes, and whole thousands (eg: QNH Wun Tausand) BUT for all distances:
WRONG: 'Engine failure Fourte... miles south of Shoreham' - (14? 40? Which?)
CORRECT: 'Engine failure four zero... miles south of Shoreham' – (Must be 40!)

'Practical' Exam (2022) - map-simulated route plus ‘discussion’ Time (HHMM): 2 separate digits for MM if time is in the next 59 minutes, or 4 separate digits
for HHMM and must be UTC (GMT)
(Try to) answer MY own (free) '20 questions' beforehand for me to ‘tune you up’!
– „Estimating destination fower zero“ = arriving at next ‘20 to the hour’
See CAA form SRG2160 for FRTOL test coverage, shaded subtopic items always
– “Sunset two zero tree seven” = sunset 8:37pm GMT (Beware in Summer/Abroad!)
included in either the route or the discussion. Up to 3 subtopics could be marked down,
yet still be a ‘pass’, UNLESS all three are in the same subsections of the syllabus shown
in that form.

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 Confusions?
Roger – 'message words fully received', (no need to repeat it). If asked something,
NEVER use ROGER to mean ‘YES’ (which would be ‘Affirm’) or to indicate agreement
Cleared – Only used with FULL FORMAL ATC to allow something & pilot to acknowledge.
Note: You „ vacate“ runways, you do not „clear“ them
Take Off – NEVER used by pilot EXCEPT in reply to a take-off clearance from a Tower.
Pilots are ‘ready for departure’, phrase ‘ready for take off’ must NEVER be used by pilot.
Going Around– aircraft on approach to runway does not touch down on this approach.
Going Around, aircraft tracks to one side (dead side) of runway unless local rules exist.
Overshoot (Military airfields only) means aircraft is required to go around above runway
Stand By – Wait for my transmission! BUT do not assume any answer (clearance, etc)!
Level – generic term, any one of Height, Altitude, Flight Level. Asked to ‘report your
level’ does not mean ‘are you in level flight?’, it means ‘Tell me how high you are’
Keywords: Height/Altitude/ Flight Level – HEIGHT is height above 'something', invariably
the airfield, so QFE (airfield pressure) is set on altimeter. ALTITUDE is above sea level,
so QNH (sea level pressure) is set on altimeter. Flight Level (FL) is height above 1013
Hectopascal pressure level set on altimeter, said in 100s of feet. You do not quote ‘1013’
if using flight levels. Eg: if altimeter is 7500’ is said as “Flight Level zero seven fife”
Orbit – A 360° 'rate one' turn (2 minutes), often used as 'spacing' delay.
Monitor - „Listen out“, don't call
Disregard – „Forget what I said/asked” © I J Lee 2010-23
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And What About
Frequencies?
VHF (Civil) – Very High Frequency
UHF (Military) – Ultra High Frequency
VHF: International multi use band, total range 30 Mhz - 300 Mhz. In theory, it operates more or less on 'line of sight',
so the higher the transmitter, the further away the receiver can be, assuming radio power is adequate.
(Unusual High Pressure conditions can 'duct' it 100s of miles further, but always assume 'line of sight')
Air voice is 117.975 Mhz-137 Mhz AM (amplitude modulation allows ‘fade’ with range, not sudden ‘cut’)
within the 30–300 Mhz VHF band, with 8.33Khz channels between frequencies, but such multiples are
awkward to say, so we actually assign more ‘easily quoted’ numbers like 129.805, 122.710, 119.480
If frequency has two trailing zeroes to finish, they can be omitted when spoken, otherwise ALL decimals
must be said. Eg: 121.500 is wun too wun dayseemal fife, 125.250 is wun too fife dayseemal too fife zero
121.500 MHz is the reserved international distress frequency. The UK has a team centrally monitoring it,
other countries use different methods. Said as above, “wun too wun dayseemal fife”
SAFETYCOM (135.480 MHz), UK ONLY, is for use by pilots to announce intentions at airstrips without an
allocated frequency, BUT no reply should be received. Because of the MANY strips using SAFETYCOM:
Only use when within 10 nm and 2000' aal or lower (or 1000' above published circuit height)
Use the strip name at both ends of the call: “Grange Farm, GABCD downwind left too fife, Grange Farm”
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And What About Callsigns?
Various formats exist :
GSHOG, Cessna GABCD, N123456, Speedbird GBOAC,
PH-KOS, Pipeline-36, Saints-02, etc.
(‘Student’ prefix can be used by student on very first contact message
indicating inexperience. Only used later IF you need to remind them)
IF main call sign is abbreviated by the ground station, it usually becomes 'first' and final 2 or 3 letters:
G-OG, Cessna-CD, Speedbird-AC, N-456, P-OS, Pipeline-36, Saints-02
DO NOT abbreviate your callsign UNLESS it is abbreviated for you first by ground station – he/she may
already have another aircraft on frequency with the abbreviated callsign. Eg: GEASA and GASSA.
Logically, therefore, you cannot abbreviate until at least your 3rd Call, if at all
Where does your callsign go within the message?
At the front end if it's new information or a new 'topic', at the back end when it is a reply
"G-CD ready for departure" as an announcement, it is new information, callsign first.
But… if asked if you are ready for departure, reply has it at the end: "Affirm, G-CD"
You can drop the Ground station callsign when sure CORRECT and 'NO confusion' exists. Dropping
it is good practice once happy.
Confusion example: Hearing traffic at a (different) distant airfield using same frequency
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The „Normal“ Initial Call to Any Station
Calling a new station? Briefly Monitor first (= Listen Out), then:
„(Their FULL Callsign), (Your FULL Callsign), (Initial Request)“
– so to put it another way, listen out, then call is almost always ‘them, you, what you want’ – a prefix
of ‘Student’ can be introduced on first call to indicate solo student flying alone, but then dropped
unless the ground station ‘needs reminding’ that the pilot is an inexperienced student:
„ ”Shoreham Approach, Student G-ABCD, Request Airfield Joining Instructions“
„Popham Radio, G-ABCD, Request Radio Check 129.805 & Airfield Information“
Note: “Radio Check” is the official phrase for wanting 'readability' (5 – 1) assessed
„Benson Zone, G-ABCD, Request MATZ Transit & Basic Service“
Note: 'MATZ' is airspace around some Military Bases, a 'Basic Service' is one of the
four levels of formal services from controllers, often called 'ATSOCAS' ('Air Traffic
Services Outside Controlled Airspace'). We will be covering these!
If no reply, check settings (frequency, volume, range, time, squelch, audio selector etc) then repeat. If
no reply 2nd time, and yet you expect them to be active, ask any other traffic for a 'radio check', do not
automatically assume you have a problem
"Benson Zone, GABCD, nothing heard, Break Break, any station, GABCD radio check 120.7"
Note: "Break Break" is a way to target two different stations with two
different messages in one continuous transmission. A single ‘break’ just
means different topic starts.
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 Standard Airfield Circuit Positions Overhead Joins
A 3-d way of fitting into the circuit in the UK – where it is permitted – not usually used at airports
The standard circuit is 'left hand', that is, all turns are left, UNLESS ,right hand‘ is specified: with controlled airspace. (Extra tips will follow by e-mail, this is just a general overview of what
an overhead join is.) Position to fly level over the landing threshold 2000' above it, perpendicular to
runway, heading for the dead side (ie: away from the live traffic side). Sometimes modified by airfield
eg: ‘overhead joins preferred but start overhead at height 1500’ not height 2000’).
Late DownWind Down
Base Note, if used, AAL means Above Airfield Level. (AGL means Above Ground Level).
Wind
‘Live Side’ of airfield, that is Cross Over runway threshold, 2000' above it, call „G-CD Overhead“
Final the side circuit traffic uses Wind
Start descent, calling “G-CD Deadside Descending”, making one continuous
Taking Off→ Climb Out 180º degree turn to end up in a tight crosswind at circuit height
Fit into tight-in crosswind at circuit height, giving way if needed

“Deadside” of airfield is opposite

side to active circuit traffic

Note: The ones underlined are the ‚normal‘ ones made when airborne in the circuit, the rest are
optional or used if asked where you are. 'Long Final' call should ONLY be used (and is defined
specifically as) on a final approach from 8 to 4 nm out from runway.

„Downwind“ call should be made abeam the upwind end of the active runway or a.s.a.p. after. Once
beyond a point abeam the landing threshold, use „Late Downwind“. It is good airmanship to
announce 'intentions' (e.g. „touch & go“ or „to land“) on a downwind call to warn other pilots of how
long you may be occupying the runway. Note 'abeam' means 'level with'... eg: some distance directly
off the wingtip.

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Runway State Airfield Met Information

With formal ATC or ATIS (see below), runway state can be passed to arriving aircraft
If not mentioned, Runway state is 'Dry' Prior to Flight: Selfbriefing from all the usual official internet or fax sources – eg: Met Office tafs, metars,
metforms, etc. (METAR = Met Actual Report for one airport, TAF = Terminal Area Forecast for one airport.
DAMP = Tarmac discoloured by moisture, etc. Metforms are 4-per-day whole UK Met forecasts by the UK Met Office (cloud, winds, icing, turbulence, etc))

WET = Actually wet, but no distinct water patches (> 3mm deep)
WATER PATCHES = Water > 3mm deep over more than 25% of area
FLOODED – Water Patches > 3mm deep over more than 50% of area
Long runways are split into thirds assessing each third:
– „<<G-CD, Runway 26 state is DAMP DAMP WET
As well as Airfield MET information, main ones have recorded Automatic Terminal Information
Service (ATIS) with main departure and arrival details, which can warn of
– Work in Progress
– Changes to standard procedures (eg: 1st contact frequency)
– SNOCLO (runway closed by snow)
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In Aircraft before taxi for departure: ATIS (Automated Terminal Information Service). Only at fairly major
airports, a transmission loop on its own distinct frequency, giving airport’s current actual Met information,
Runway in Use, taxiway closures, work in progress etc. Every recording has an associated letter to
distinguish which one you heard (‘copied’). Quote that letter in your first call when requesting taxi clearance
on the normal ATSU frequency for taxiing aircraft (eg Bournemouth Ground, Shoreham Tower, etc).
En Route: VOLMET – a looped transmission of nine METARS (airport Met actual reports) grouped on one
frequency eg: London Volmet South 128.6 MHz, London Volmet North 126.6 MHz. (Useful to check ‘receiving
ok’ if radio failure is ever suspected). AND importantly for ‘early decision on diverting’. Also, a ground station
giving you a service can get you a distant destination (or alternate destination) METAR: ‘Shoreham
Approach, GABCD requests Bristol Weather’
Just before Approach to Destination: Listen to ATIS if available, then first call to ATSU includes not only
the ATIS ‘letter’, but also runway designator and pressure that you understood from the ATIS. If no ATIS, the
ATSU can pass airfield details that would have been recorded on an ATIS).
“Shoreham Approach, GABCD requests join, with Lima, runway too-wun, qnh niner niner fife hectopascals”
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Completely New Topic
The Level of ‘ATSU’s
There are three levels of Qualifications
for the people we communicate with,
and that seriously changes how we
have to act or react…. It is their
callsign suffix that gives the clue….
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Top Level of ATSU: Full ATC (suffix TOWER) - In the circuit
Whilst DOWNWIND: >>„G-CD Downwind, touch and go“ - Normal reply from Tower: “G-CD report final (runway)”
IF ATC need a 2 minute delay: << „G-CD For spacing, One ORBIT left, report orbit complete“
>>„One Orbit left, wilco, G-CD“ Make level 360° turn(s) to the left at 'rate 1' (one turn = 2 mins)
IF ATC are not sure whether they will need a delay or not: << „G-CD Extend Downwind“
>>„Extend downwind, G-CD“ ….. Continue, extend, then call: “G-CD ready for base” unless told to already
On FINAL Approach: >>„G-CD (runway nn) Final“ (add intentions like ‚to land‘ if not announced already)
If all is OK, Tower says: <<”G-CD runway nn, wind 270/08 kts, Cleared to Land“. You: >>”Runway nn Cleared Land”
– If ATC/Situation not ready yet! „<<G-CD Continue Approach“ Reply >>”Continue Approach, G-CD“
– If Runway blocked/occupied „<<G-CD Go Around“ – Reply: >>” Going Around, G-CD“
– Note only a TOWER can tell you to go around!
Other Rare Possibility, one of TWO that sound like an instruction but is an ‘offer’. Only for a FULL ATC Tower in
Daytime, and ATC has full view of runway and believes there is no risk:
„<<G-CD, runway nn wind 270/08 kts, Cessna 172 yet to vacate at far end, Land After Cessna 172“
– Reply is either „>>Land After, G-CD“ OR „>>G-CD Going Around“ depending on whether you think
it is safe – ie: “land after” is NOT an instruction, it is an invitation to land that can be accepted or
declined. It is always stated what the ‘issue’ is that prevents a normal ‘cleared to land’ from Tower
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Three levels of 'ACS' (Aeronautical Communications Service)
provided by ATSUs (Air Traffic Service Units)
1. ATC – Air Traffic Control (Full)
You MUST Request/receive a clearance to do anything in their airspace or on their airfield,
eg: taxi-ing, landing, etc. Only full ATC 'clear' you to do things.
Obey all instructions on ground or in their airspace unless it endangers the aircraft or makes
an illegality – but tell them if you cannot obey and why not
Suffices: Radar, Approach, Tower, Ground, etc. (Found at Bournemouth, Bristol, Shoreham,
Lydd, Gloucestershire, Leeds, Glasgow, Humberside, E Midlands, etc).
2. AFIS - Aerodrome Flight Information Service by a licensed ‚AFISO‘ (the ‚O‘ is 'Officer'))
Must be asked and gives permissions (not called a clearance) for anything on the ground /
taxiways (but not on the runway itself, it is considered part of 'flying') but they do not use the
keyword 'clear' in their transmissions, that is reserved for full ATC.
Suffix: Information (like at Blackbushe, Lee, Kemble, Barton…) “Lee Information, G-ABCD
requests taxi”
3. AGCS - Air/Ground Communication Service – no control legally
Suffix: Radio (like at Sandtoft, Popham, Sandown, etc). You first request airfield information
then when given runway in use etc, you read back & tell them what you are doing, eg taxi-ing.
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Main Differences at non-ATC 'ATSU's (ie: Not ‘Tower’ suffix)
Final Approach: You call >>„G-CD (runway nn) Final “
If it is an AFISO (Callsign Suffix: ‚Information‘) – If all Appears OK to them, their reply is:
„<<G-CD Runway nn wind 260/15kts Land at your discretion“
– >>„(Roger/Landing) G-CD“ (NB: DO NOT repeat the discretion phrase)
– But Suppose Runway Blocked! They ONLY say: „<<G-CD Runway Occupied“
You: Either „>>Continuing Approach, G-CD“ (to see if situation improves,
but Go Around if it doesn't) or immediately „>>G-CD Going Around“
AGCS (Air/Ground like Compton Radio, Sandtoft Radio, etc) they just say <<„G-CD
runway 26 wind 270/08 kts“ and you reply >>„(Roger/Landing) G-CD“
NB: Do Not DEPEND on Air/Ground station seeing runway is blocked, YOU decide
NOTE, an AFISO or AGCS operator will not use the word 'cleared' in any normal context, it is a
reserved word for full air traffic control. ALSO „at your discretion“ is reserved uniquely for
AFISO use, it is never said by the pilot . Also, at such AFISO/AGCS airfields, it is not considered
safe or good airmanship to orbit in the circuit. If necessary, leave circuit and rejoin.
Something NEW: CIRCUIT CLOSED/CLOSING until/at (Time).
To allow GNSS (GPS) approaches at NON-ATC airfields, departures and joins can be stopped for
ALL traffic except for the one expected on a booked GNSS instrument approach. Whilst non-ATC
ATSUs cannot control you as an individual aircraft, this allows the whole circuit to be closed to
you and other traffic for a short time period at all airfields with new approved GPS approaches
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 SO Let's Go to Oxford....
In past, Oxford (Kidlington) has been known to have Completely New Topic
FULL (expensive salaries!) ATC Monday to Friday 9 - 5pm
AFISOs (cheaper) in evening, Sat 9 – 5pm, Sun 9 - 3pm
Air / Ground Comms Service (cheaper still) the rest of the time

SO... you look up the frequency, finding frequencies for Oxford Approach &
Tower. Arrivals would use 'Approach' initially, expect transfer to ‘Tower’
before joining circuit but only IF full ATC is active and in use.
The suffix they use in reply to your initial call is very important:
>>„Oxford Approach, G-ABCD, request join, with information Echo, Runway
wun-niner, QNH wun zero wun fower“ What can ‘they’ do for me in flight?
<<“G-ABCD, Oxford Approach, pass your message“ (Except for dealing with Emergencies
which we will cover later!
(„enter my airspace, and you must obey me, be cleared to land, etc“)
<<“G-ABCD, Oxford Information, pass your message“
(„I cannot control you in the air, keep me informed, but after vacating
my runway do nothing without getting permission“)
<<“G-ABCD, Oxford Radio, pass your message“
(„I hope you're not expecting much fr

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VDF VDF
TRUE Bearing,
TRUE Bearing,
VHF-Direction-Finding (VHF – Very High Frequency) – 2nd only to Boscombe Zone*
GABCD
Emergency Calls (Distress/Urgency messages) in priority. Request
Getting a 'line' bearing at a ground VDF station based on them sensing direction of your TRUE Bearing
transmission. You can ask for any of 4, depending what you want to do: GABCD
Boscombe Zone NB: A True Bearing call is
QDM – A (no wind) Magnetic Heading to get to the station (eg: to find the airfield) NOT in the usual order
True Bearing
QDR – The magnetic bearing of the aircraft from the station (used in instrument approaches) Zero Niner Zero Boscombe Zone
„True Bearing“ (was QTE) – A true line bearing of you from airfield. (you can draw a line directly degrees GABCD
from airfield on that bearing on your chart, you will be on that line). Class Bravo Request QDM
QUJ – True Bearing of the ground station from you (Cannot think of a use for this!) GABCD
GABCD,
Boscombe Zone NB: A QDM call has a
Good News, Whatever you want: QDM 275 callsign repetition at end
You just ask, THEY do the work!
QDM
QDR 095 Too Seven Fife Class A – Accuracy -/+ 2°
degrees Class B – Accuracy -/+ 5°
VDF
QTE 090 Class Bravo Class C – Accuracy -/+10°
Class D – Worse than 'C'
Airfield QUJ 270
Of course, you repeat back what you heard, with your callsign at the end
Airfield, (Mag Varn 5 degrees) * A suffix of HOMER is often used for the VDF frequency
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Two (UK only) „Services“ (ATSOCAS) for either VFR and IFR Traffic) Two (UK only) „Services“ (ATSOCAS) only for IFR Traffic)
(Air Traffic Services Outside Controlled Airspace) (Air Traffic Services Outside Controlled Airspace)
(NOT allowed from Air/Ground Units eg: Thruxton Radio, Compton Radio, Sandtoft Radio)
(NOT allowed from Air/Ground Units or AFISO eg: Popham Radio, Blackbushe Information)
Abroad, you often find such services are called ‘Flight Information Service’ or (USA) ‘Flight Following’

BASIC* TRAFFIC DECON-

General Info,
Pressures,
All of 'BASIC
Service' PLUS ATC ATC FLICTION
All of 'Traffic
Procedural ATC
Weather, Notification Usually for
Service' PLUS what Aircraft on
Flight Plans, Of Position of To do about any 'Instrument
ATC or Intermediary. Other Traffic Conflict with Approaches
Other traffic only Expected to get
AFISO* 'generic'** Within 3 miles
other traffic - Outside CAS'
i.e. They will
And 3000' *** RADAR RADAR 'steer' you
To avoid it
* 'AFISO' (suffix 'Information') can ONLY offer a BASIC Service

** 'Generic' traffic example: 'Lasham ahead busy with gliders'. Many units offering a BASIC service do
NOT have radar and therefore cannot see risk of collision. Others EVEN WITH RADAR may not be These two services provide a measure of control OUTSIDE CAS but are not available to VFR
watching for it during a 'Basic Service'.
(Visual Flight Rules) pilots to ask for them, so some sort of Instrument Rating is needed to ask
*** Example of calls on TRAFFIC SERVICE: for either of them.
“>>G-YZ traffic one o’clock, 4 miles, crossing right-left ahead, indicating 3000 feet”
“<<Roger, G-YZ” ….. (lookout) ….. “G-YZ Traffic (Not) Sighted”
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